Apparatus for depicting effectiveness of golfer&#39;s swing



April 15, 1969 E. ROY 3,438,634

APPARATUS FORJDEPICTING EFFECTIVENESS OF GOLFERS SWING FileduunezeyleevA Sheet of2 l N VENTOR.

April 15, 1969 E. ROY 3,438,634

APPARATUS FOR DEPICTING EFFECTIVENESS OF GOLFERS SWING Filed June 28,1967 Sheet 2 of 2 I ii United States Patent Olhce 3,438,634 PatentedApr. 15, 1969 US. Cl. 273186 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Aplurality of conductive plates are arranged on the face of a golf club,and each is electrically connected, through a cable, to a console onwhich a pictorial representation of the clubface is portrayed with lampsassociated with segments of the clubface corresponding to these plates.A target ball is mounted on a flexible arm, and a contact'element on thetarget ball is electrically connected to the console by means of aconductor embedded in the flexible arm. Circuit means in the consoleilluminates one or more of the lamps in response to engagement betweenone or more of the plates and the contact element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to devices for aidinggolfers in perfecting their swing, and deals more particularly with anapparatus which gives the golfer an indication of the effectiveness ofhis swing.

Golf swing practice devices have been proposed heretofore wherein anobject ball trips an electric circuit in response to swinging of a golfclub. However, these devices have not been used to record the point ofimpact between the target ball and the club itself. For example, PatentNo. 3,169,022 issued to Kretsinger records the weight distribution ofthe golfer at the instant of impact. The present invention on the otherhand seeks to give the golfer a direct indication of the point of impactbetween his clubface and the ball rather than concerning him withquestions of balance.

Patent No. 3,020,049 issued to McNeill shows a rather complex device forrecording the path of movement of the golf club. McNeill shows means forrecording the path taken by the golf club, from which information theprobable path of movement of a real ball is extrapolated. The presentinvention on the other hand concentrates on the point of impact of thetarget ball with the clubface. It will be apparent from the descriptionto follow that an extrapolation to yield a graphic display of the pathtaken by the ball might also be adapted for use with the presentinvention.

Patent No. 3,194,563 issued to Mackniesh discloses means for recordingthe angular orientation of the clubface with respect to a desireddirection in which the ball or target is to be driven. Here again thereis no showing of means for recording the point of impact of the targetball with the face of the golf club.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION From the prior art described hereinabove it will beapparent that these references do not show or suggest an apparatus forrecording and visually presenting the area of impact between the targetball and the somewhat larger face of the golf club. The presentinvention provides such an apparatus and although a preferred embodimentis described and shown herein the invention is not so limited, but is atleast as broad in scope as the several claims forming a part of thisspecification.

The general object of the present invention is to provide an apparatusfor use by golfers in practicing their swing, said apparatus providing agraphic indication of the precise area of impact between the clubfaceand an object or target ball.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing agolfer swinging a club toward a target ball, both the club and targetball are electrically connected to a console upon which readoutinformation is provided in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the clubface of the golf club depicted inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the circuit means used in a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Turning now to the drawings ingreater detail, FIG. 1 shows a golfer 10 in the process of swinging agolf club .12 which may comprise a conventional driver modified in themanner set forth hereinbelow. The golf club 12 is being swung so thatthe face of the club, indicated generally at 14, will engage a target orobject ball 16.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the clubface 14- is provided with a pluralityof conductive plates arranged in any convenient pattern. As shown fivesuch plates are used but it will be understood that the invention is notso limited, and that two or more plates might be used to advantage. Oneplate 18 is located adjacent the toe of the club, another plate 20adjacent the heel or shank portion of the club, and finally three plates22, 24 and 26 are arranged one above the other in generally centeredrelation between the toe and heel plates 18 and 20 respectively. Eachplate has associated therewith a wire, or conductor, which extendsupwardly through the hollow club shaft and along a cable 30 whichextends from the upper end of the club shaft to a console indicatedgenerally at 32 in FIG. 1.

The target ball 16 preferably comprises a hollow hemispherical plasticmember which is integrally carried on the outer, or free end portion, ofa cantilevered arm 28 so that the golfer 10 can swing his club 12against the object ball 16, causing the arm 28 to flex laterally andyield before the force of the swung club.

In accordance with the present invention, a conductive element 34 isembedded in the face of the object ball 16, and more specifically at thepoint which contacts the clubface 14, and a conductor 36 is molded inthe arm 28 and electrically connects the element 34 with the console 32.A suitable support 38 is provided for supporting the opposite end of thearm 28 in cantilever fashion, and it will be apparent that the support38 may comprise a part of the console 32 without departing from thescope of the present invention. Thus, the console 32 is electricallyconnected to each of the plates 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26, in the clubfaceand in addition is electrically connected to the element 34 on theobject ball 16.

In accordance with the present invention circuit means is provided inthe console for generating individual electrical signals when one ofsaid plates contacts said element. Preferably, and as best shown in FIG.3 said circuit means includes a source of electrical power, in the formof a DC battery 40, a plurality of silicon control rectifiers 42, 42each of which is adapted to be biased in response to even a very slightcurrent carried thereto by one of the wires associated with any one ormore of the plates 18, 20, 22, 24 or 26-.

Display means responsive to these signals is provided for presenting apictorial representation of the clubface, and more particularly of theimpact area thereon to one swinging the golf club 12 into contact withthe target 16. Preferably, said display means comprises a pictorialrepresentation having segments which correspond to the conductive platesprovided on the clubface. A plurality of electrically energizable lamps,each of which is mounted so as to illuminate one of said segments, isprovided in said circuit means. Each of the lamps is adapted to beenergized by one of said individual signals produced by the circuitmeans. More particularly, each of the lamps is provided in series withone of said silicon control rectifier, and all of said lamps andrectifiers are arranged in parallel with respect to one another so thatDC power is continuously available at each of the silicon controlrectifiers 42, 42 and to the contact element 34 on the simulated golfball 16. Thus, whenever a conductive plate on the clubface 14 contactsthe element on the target ball 16, electrical energy is conveyed to thebias side of the silicon control rectifier associated with a particularplate, and an associated lamp is illuminated even after the club hasbeen swung past the object ball. It will be apparent, therefore, thatafter the golfer has taken a practice swing, he will have illuminatedone or more of the lamps provided for this purpose on the console 32.Thus the golfer has a pictorial representation illustrating, in veryconcrete form, the point of impact between his clubface 14- and theobject ball 16. Prior to taking another practice swing, the golfer needonly depress the push button switch 46 momentarily in order to reset thesilicon control rectifiers for a subsequent sequence of operation.

I claim:

1. In combination, a golf club having a plurality of conductive platesarranged on the clubface, a target having a conductive element embeddedtherein, and circuit means electrically connected to each of said platesand to said element for generating individual signals when one of saidplates contacts said element.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 and further characterized bydisplay means responsive to said signals.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 and further characterized inthat said display means comprises a pictorial representation of saidclubface, said pictorial representation having segments which correspondto the conductive plates on said clubface, a plurality of electricallyenergizable lamps each of which is so mounted as to illuminate one ofsaid segments, each of said lamps being energized by one of saidindividual signals produced by said circuit means.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 and further characterized inthat said target comprises a simulated golf ball, and a flexible armintegrally connected at one end to said ball and having its opposite endsupported cantilever fashion.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 and further characterized inthat said conductive element comprises a contact carried by said ball,and said circuit means including a conductor connected to said contactelement, said conductor being carried in part by said flexible arm.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 and further characterized bydisplay means responsive to said individual signals for presenting apictorial representation of said clubface to one swinging said golf clubso as to bring one or more of said conductive plates into engagementwith said contact element.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 and further characterized inthat said circuit means includes a cable having a plurality ofconductors each of which is connected to one of said plates on saidclubface and extends upwardly through the shaft portion of said golfclub, said cable being secured to the upper end of said shaft.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 7 and further characterized inthat said circuit means comprises a source of electrical power, twoconductors connecting said golf ball contact element in series to saidpower source, a plurality of silicon control rectifiers arranged inelectrical parallel across said two conductors, and each of said cableassociated conductors being arranged to selectively bias one of saidrectifiers whenever an associated plate engages said golf ball contact.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 8 and further characterized inthat said display means comprises a console having an upper surface onwhich said pictorial representation of said clubface is provided, saidsource of electrical power comprising a battery in said console, andmanual means on said console for electrically resetting said siliconcontrol rectifiers.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 1 and further characterized inthat said circuit means includes a cable having a plurality ofconductors each of which is connected to one of said plates on saidclubface and extends upwardly through the shaft portion of said golfclub, said cable being secured to the upper end of said shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1942 Modine. 7/1965 Mackniesh.

GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner.

